disperse
verb
dis·perse di-ˈspərs 
dispersed; dispersing
transitive verb
1
a
: to cause to break up (see break up sense 1a)
police dispersed the crowd
b
: to cause to become spread widely
disperse the troops
c
: to cause to evaporate or vanish
sunlight dispersing the mist
2
: to spread or distribute from a fixed or constant source: such as
a
archaic : disseminate
disperse the news
b
physics : to subject to dispersion (see dispersion sense 4)
disperse light
c
chemistry : to distribute (something, such as fine particles) more or less evenly throughout a medium
intransitive verb
1
: to break up in random fashion
the crowd dispersed on request
2
a
: to become dispersed
the particles dispersed throughout the mixture
b
: dissipate, vanish
the fog dispersed toward morning
dispersedly
di-ˈspər-səd-lē
adverb -ˈspərst-lē
disperser noun
dispersible
di-ˈspər-sə-bəl
adjective 
Synonyms
- disassemble
- dissipate
- dissolve
- scatter
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Police ordered the crowd to disperse. the crowd dispersed once the show ended
Recent Examples on the Web But as people disperse, residents in neighborhoods that were never affected are locking their doors and shutting down their businesses. 
Marina Lopes, Washington Post, 5 Aug. 2022 In addition, the Forest Preserves’ trout lakes will be closed to all fishing from March 28, until sunrise on April 2, to allow the trout to disperse throughout the lakes prior to opening. Paul Eisenberg, chicagotribune.com, 18 Mar. 2022 The city expects to receive 9,200 kits and probably won’t disperse them until early next week. Jesse Leavenworth, courant.com, 28 Dec. 2021 Police refused and fired tear gas to disperse the crowd. Laetitia Bezain, ajc, 29 Aug. 2022 Officers assigned to the Civil Disturbance Response Team responded to the entertainment district around 1:39 a.m. to disperse a large crowd. Erin Couch, The Enquirer, 8 Aug. 2022 Police used tear gas to disperse the crowd ahead of an 8 p.m. curfew. From Usa Today Network And Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 25 July 2022 Guests trickled out and rejoined the block party, which now included several squad cars and more police officers trying to disperse the crowd. John Ortved, New York Times, 20 July 2022 Elia was forced to the ground by at least four officers after police had deployed tear gas to disperse a crowd near North Lombard Street, according to the suit. oregonlive, 20 July 2022 See More
Marina Lopes, Washington Post, 5 Aug. 2022 In addition, the Forest Preserves’ trout lakes will be closed to all fishing from March 28, until sunrise on April 2, to allow the trout to disperse throughout the lakes prior to opening. Paul Eisenberg, chicagotribune.com, 18 Mar. 2022 The city expects to receive 9,200 kits and probably won’t disperse them until early next week. Jesse Leavenworth, courant.com, 28 Dec. 2021 Police refused and fired tear gas to disperse the crowd. Laetitia Bezain, ajc, 29 Aug. 2022 Officers assigned to the Civil Disturbance Response Team responded to the entertainment district around 1:39 a.m. to disperse a large crowd. Erin Couch, The Enquirer, 8 Aug. 2022 Police used tear gas to disperse the crowd ahead of an 8 p.m. curfew. From Usa Today Network And Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 25 July 2022 Guests trickled out and rejoined the block party, which now included several squad cars and more police officers trying to disperse the crowd. John Ortved, New York Times, 20 July 2022 Elia was forced to the ground by at least four officers after police had deployed tear gas to disperse a crowd near North Lombard Street, according to the suit. oregonlive, 20 July 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Latin dispersus, past participle of dispergere to scatter, from dis- + spargere to scatter — more at spark
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Kids Definition
disperse
verb
dis·perse di-ˈspərs
dispersed; dispersing
: to break up and scatter
The clouds dispersed.
Medical Definition
disperse
verb
dis·perse dis-ˈpərs
dispersed; dispersing
transitive verb
: to spread or distribute from a fixed or constant source: as
a
: to subject (as light) to dispersion
b
: to distribute (as fine particles) more or less evenly throughout a medium
intransitive verb
: to become dispersed
disperses
verb
1
as in dissipates
to go off in different directions and cease to exist as a body or unified whole the crowd dispersed once the show ended Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- dissipates
- disappears
- dissolves
- scatters
- fades
- disassembles
- evaporates
- divides
- melts
- separates
- disbands
- diverges
- spills
- forks
- flees
- clears
- breaks up
- branches (out)
- evanesces
- goes (away)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- gathers
- meets
- congregates
2
as in scatters
to cause (members of a group) to move widely apart the family of the missing woman dispersed searchers to all corners of the national park Synonyms & Similar Words
- scatters
- dissipates
- disbands
- dispels
- separates
- squanders
- isolates
- segregates
- diffuses
- spreads
- disseminates
- clears out
- parts
- diverges
- splits (up)
- breaks up
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- collects
- concentrates
- gathers
- assembles
- clusters
- congregates
- unites
- unifies
- agglutinates
- conglomerates
- ingathers
3
as in disbands
to cease to exist or cause to cease to exist as a group or organization the campaign staff dispersed almost immediately after the election Synonyms & Similar Words
- disbands
- dissolves
- breaks up
- demobilizes
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unites
- joins
- incorporates
- consolidates
- bands
- hangs together